The present invention relates to animal waste receptacles. More specifically, but without limitation, the present invention relates to feline waste receptacles for receiving and retaining both solid and liquid wastes. Such devices are commonly known as “cat boxes”. It is often desirable to house animals, such as cats, inside human dwellings or other enclosures such as animal hospitals, animal shelters, animal pounds or the like. When a cat desires to eliminate waste materials in the form of urine and/or fecal matter, a receptacle having a quantity of material, such as sand, is commonly provided. Such receptacles usually include a bottom with upwardly facing sides. The bottom may be square, round, rectangular, oval or other shape. The top is open to provide entry/exit for the cat. After elimination is completed, the cat usually attempts to scrape the sand with a paw to move a portion of the sand over the waste material thereby burying or “covering” the waste material. If the covering is successful, the now buried fecal and urine matter initially emits little or no odor. If unsuccessful, an offensive odor is immediately emitted. In addition, as the natural biodegradation of the excreted matter progresses and as the cat box is continually used, odors become prominent and highly offensive, as many cat owners can attest. Soon, the urine soaked sand and fecal matter must be removed, usually by an unhappy owner and eventually the sand must be discarded and renewed—a most unpleasant task.
There have been many attempts to produce improved cat boxes. These improvements attempt to, for example, reduce odors and/or to remove the offending fecal matter from the box.
One such device, described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,477,812 to Waters, discloses a comb to move fecal matter into a disposal receptacle after each usage.
Another device, described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,048,465 to Carlisi, discloses a litter box having a moving and upwardly rotating rake to move solid waste material into a storage tray.
Another device described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,509,379 to Hoeschan, discloses a rotating cylinder for separating animal litter from waste material.
Still another device described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,517,947 to Christman, discloses three identical litter trays, nestled together, with openings for sifting the sand from the fecal and urine clumps.
However, none of these attempts provide a device that thoroughly mixes the sand, fecal matter and urine by vibrations to reduce odors and extend the time between cleanings and provide, if desired, a trap for automatically retaining waste products therein for selected disposal.